Regulator for electric currents.



PATBNTED SEPT 19, 1905.

P. KENNEDY. REGULATOR FOR ELECTRIC OURRENTS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 12, 1904.

4 SHEBTSSHEET 1.

w; H c a o 0 I S aw whoa A Par/$21201: KEN/newly my I awe mam gyMQMM No. 800,114. PATENTED SEPT. 19, 1905.

P. KENNEDY.

REGULATOR FOR ELECTRIC OURRENTS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 12, 1904.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2,

PATENTED SEPT. 19,, 1905.

4 SHBETS-SHEET 3.

F. KENNEDY. REGULATOR FOR ELECTRIC GURRENTSL APPLICATION FILED NOV. 12, 1904.

No. 800,114. PATENTED SEPT. 19, 1905. P. KENNEDY. REGULATOR FOR ELECTRIC GURRENTS.

APPLICATION TILED NOV. 12, 1904.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

q/v i/imco am (gm/0W in I Pabmbi lf enawaf r7 M w 3 g S UNITED STATES PATENT oEEIoE.

PATRICK KENNEDY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO CONSOLIDATED RAILWVAY ELECTRIC LIGHT AND EQUIPMENT COMPANY.

REGULATOR FOR ELECTRlC CURRENTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 19, 1905.

Application filed November 12, 1904. Serial No. 282,428.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, PATRICK KENNEDY, a citizen of the United States, residing in the borough of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and city and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Regulators for Electric Currents, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to means for regulating and controlling electric currents, and particularly those used for lighting railway-oars and generated by a dynamo driven from the car-axle. In lighting cars from a dynamo driven in this manner great difficulty has been experienced in regulating the exterior current fed by the dynamo in order to maintain such current uniform and to adapt such regulation automatically to altered conditions where a series of lamps, for example, in said exterior circuit is thrown in or cut out. In my United States Patent No. 745,194, dated November 24, 1908, a regulating device for this purpose is shown and described; and the present invention has for its object in the main to improve and simplify the apparatus of said patent. It may be stated here briefly that in the said Patent No. 745,fi4 electromagnets are shown substituting solenoids for control ling the pawls of the ratchet devices which operate the arms of the rheostats and cams whose function it is to put the armatures of the respective magnets at regular and frequent periods into their normal positions. Two magnets and two cams are employed, one for each pawl-and-ratchet device. In the present construction but one magnet and one cam are required for each pawl-and-ratchet device, thus materially simplifying the construction.

The special features of the present construction will be hereinafter fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate an embodiment thereof.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan of the regulating apparatus, the cover of the inclosing box being omitted. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the apparatus as seen from the arrow in Fig. 1, the inolosing box and the rheostat at the right being in vertical section, Figs. 3 and 4 are vertical transverse sections taken, respectively, at lines 00 and 01* in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a diagram showing the circuits. Fig. 6 is a detail view of a spring 17 which will be hereinafter described.

Before proceeding to describe the present invention in deta1l it may be of advantage to state that with this apparatus, as with thatdescribed in the previous Patent No. 745,194, the object is primarily to effect the regulation of the current supplied without breaking the circuit and to regulate both the amperage and the voltage of the current. An automatic circuit-closer is employed, as before, to connect the dynamo with the system when the voltage shall have reached a predetermined limit. In the system, as before, is a series of lamps to be supplied, a storage battery, and a small electric motor, which operates the rheostats of the lamp-circuit and the field-magnet circuit of the dynamo, the former for regulating the voltage and the latter for regulating the amperage of the current. l/Vhen the lamps are turned on, they are supplied from the storage battery, if the dynamo is not running. If the lamps are turned off, the motor stops, unless the dynamo is running; but the motor always runs if the dynamo is in operation, provided the speed attained by the latter is sufficient to generate a current of the normal Voltage to supply the system. henever the current is suiiicient or the lamps are turned on, the motor is set in motion.

Referring primarily principally to the diagrammatic view Fig. 5, D designates the dynamo; F, its field-magnets; M, a small inotor supplied from the dynamo; F, its fieldmagnets; S, a storage battery charged by the dynamo, and L the lamps in an exterior lamp-circuit and supplied by either the dy namo or the storage battery. Sw is a switch in the lamp-circuit. R is a rheostat in the lamp-circuit, and r is its arm. R is a rheostat in the field-magnet circuit of the dynamo, and r is its arm. C is an automatic circuitclosing device in the exterior circuit. Some of these parts are seen only in Fig. 6, and all of them are shown in the prior patent, No. 745,194.

Referring now to Figs. 1 to 4, 1 designates an inclosing box or box-like frame to contain the mechanism of the apparatus, and 2 its cover. In this box is mounted the small motor M, and at its respective ends are the rheostats R and R.

The actual circuit-conductors are omitted generally from the principal views, as their insertion would only tend to confusion; but

the binding-posts therefor are seen on the box-cover at the upper parts of Figs. 2, 3, and 4.

That part of the apparatus wherein the present invention resides will now be described, and those features thereof which are not new will afterward be pointed out.

On the arbor 3 of the motor M is a worm 4, which gears with a worm-wheel 5 on a shaft 6. This shaft thus driven by the motor extends at right angles to the motor-axis and has bearings in a bracket 7. This shaft 6 bears two cams 8 and 8, disposed, respectively, below two electromagnets E and E.

9 and 9 are shafts which operate, respectively, the arms of the rheostats R and R, and on these shafts are secured ratchet-wheels by which the shafts are rotated step by step. On the shaft 9 are two ratchet-wheels 10 and 10, which are reversed, and on the shaft 9 are two like reversed ratchet-wheels 10 and 10. The cams 8 and 8 as they rotate impart rocking movements to levers 11 and 11, respectively, said levers being fulcrumed at w, Figs. 3 and 4, in fixed brackets. The lever 11 carries two pawls 12 and 12, which may engage, respectively, with the ratchetwheels 10 and 10 under certain conditions to be hereinafter explained. The two pawls are pivotally mounted on the lever 11 and are held yieldingly in position by a plunger 13,

backed by a spring 14, the plunger bearing on the flattened backs of the pawls at their pivot-points. The lever 11 is provided in the same manner with pawls 12" and 12 to engage the respective ratchet-wheels l0 and 10. On each lever 11 and 11 are two rollers 15 and 15, which bear on opposite sides of the respective cams which actuate the levers.

It may be explained that the levers 11 .11, the cams 8 8, the pawls carried by the respective levers, and the pairs of ratchet-wheels are alike for each magnet and rheostat, and it will suflice to say that the next succeeding d escription relating to the electromagnet E will suffice for both devices, as like reference characters are employed in the devices to designate the corresponding parts now to be described.

The electromagnet E is inverted, and its armature (L is carried by the lever 11. hen the lever is in the normal position, (seen in Fig. 3,) the cam 8 rotates between the rollers 15 and 15 without actuating the lever sufficiently to cause the pawls 12 and 12 to engage, said pawls being under these normal conditions out of engagement with the teeth of the respective ratchet-wheels 10 and 10. The lever 11 is steadied in this position by two springs 16, which bear on the respective upper and lower faces of the lever and have ratchet devices 17 for a delicate adjustment of their tension. Another spring 18 bears on the armature a and tends to press it down or away from the pole of the magnet.

This

spring also has a ratchet device 19 for effecting a delicate adjustment of its tension. Now if we assume the tension of the springs 16 and 18 is such that the pull of the magnet E when the current flowing through its coils of the normal or desired strength su'llices to hold the armature (6111 the neutral position (seen in Fig. 3) the pawls 12 and 12 will be both out of engagement and there will be no movement of the arm of the rheostat. If the current should grow weaker, the spring 18 will depress the armature and with it that arm of the lever 11, thus putting the lower pawl 12 into engagement with the ratchet-wheel 10, and the rotating cam 8, acting on the upper roller 15 in conjunction with the springs 18, will impart a rocking movement to the lever 11 and cause the pawl 12, acting through the ratchet-wheel 10, the shaft 9, and the arm of the rheostat, to cut out resistance from the circuit, and thus restore its strength. On the other hand, if the current should grow stronger at any time instead of weaker the magnet E will overcome the spring 18 and. draw the armature a. upward. This will put the upper pawl 12 into engagement with the teeth of the ratchet-wheel 10, andv the rocking of the lever 11, caused by the cam 8 acting on the lower roller 15, will have the effect through the shaft and rheostat-arm to throw more resistance into the circuit, and thus reduce its strength.

Fig. 4 shows the armature drawn up by the magnet, the upper pawl on the lever engaged, and the cam acting on the lower roller on the lever.

It will be proper to explain here, with reference especially to Figs. 3 and 4:, that when the lever 11 is in its operative position, with a pawl engaged with its ratchet-wheel, the cam, acting on one of the rollers on the lever, rocks the lever and through the pawl rotates the ratchet-wheel to the extent of one tooth; but in order that the pawl after its advance may free itself and drop behind the next tooth properly when it recedes it is preferred to provide the cam (see Figs. 3 and 4t) with a slight enlargement or hump 8, which adds a little to the movement of the ratchet-wheel beyond the normal by imparting to the pawl a slightly-extended movement. \Vhen the lever is in the normal position, (seen in Fig. 3,) this enlargement or hump 8 imparts a slight rocking movement to the lever, and to permit of this the cam has opposite to said hump a corresponding recess 8" for the opposite roller to engage. In the construction herein shown the two pawls, as 12 and 12, carried by the lever 11, are integral or in one piece, and this is the preferred form; but as each performs a distinct function and only one operates at a time they have been treated in the foregoing description as separate pawls, and they might be separate.

It may be explained that the springs 16 are for the purpose of steadying the lever and giving to it a tendency to hold the normal position seen in Fig. 3.

The specific construction of the parts last described may be seen in Fig. 6 and at the right in Fig. 4. The lever 11 plays in a slot in a front plate 20, between two projecting lugs 21, which have the same vertical width as the head 11 on the lever, and when the conditions of the current are normal this head will be between said lugs. Each coil-spring 16 carries a round bar (16 in Fig. 6) which bears on the two lugs 21, these bars crossing the head 11 of the lever. Obviously if the lever lifts the lower spring-bar will not be disturbed, but the upper one will be lifted and that spring 16 flexed. If the lever is depressed, the upper spring-bar will not be disturbed; but the lower one will be depressed.

The springs 16 are each coiled about and attached to a shaft 23, on which is a ratchetwheel engaged by a stop-pawl. This pawl and ratchet constitutes the ratchet device 17 for regulating the tension of the spring 16.

It may be stated here that as in the case of the electromagnets employed in the beforementioned patent, No. 745,194, the magnet E is in a shunt in the lamp-circuit, and the pull on its armature will be directly proportioned to the voltage in the current supplied to the lamps, and the magnet E is in the main exterior circuit fed by the dynamo and will have reverse windings of coarser wire than that on the magnet E, so as to offer less re sistance. The reason for employing reverse windings on the magnet belonging to the amperage-regulating devices is given in full in the above-named patent and need not, therefore, be given here.

The circuits may be traced in Fig. 5; but as they are practically the same as those in the above-named patent, No. 745,194, it will not be necessary to more than briefly refer to them here.

D is ashunt-dynamo. The field-magnet circuit 0 is from the positive brush of the dynamo through a fuse-block f to the rheostat R, thence to its arm r, and thence to and through the field-magnet F to the negative brush of the dynamo. cuit 0 is from the positive brush of the dynamo through the fuse-block, through the upper winding of magnet E, thence to the circuit-closer G, thence to the storage battery S, and thence to the negative brush of the dynamo. The lamp-circuit 0 branches from 0 at .2, passes thence through the lower winding of the magnet E, thence to the lamp-switch S20, thence to the rheostat R, thence to the main circuit at .2 This circuit is designated by a heavy line in Fig. 5, and the switch Sw is shown closed through the lamps. The magnet-E is in a shunt-circuit c from .2 to .2

the motor M in a branch circuit 0 from the switch S20 to 2 When the lamps are turned The main exterior cir.

off, the current may flow through acireuit o branching from c at .2 to the switch Sm and thence by a to the motor M and back to the negative brush of the dynamo.

At the right in Fig. 1 the rheostat R its arm w are seen in section and a casing connected with the box 1 and containing resistance-coils of the rheostat.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. In a device for regulating electric currents, the combination with a dynamo, a circuit fed by said dynamo, and a rheostat in said circuit, of means for regulating the current supplied to said circuit, said means comprising an electromagnet in the circuit, its armature, a lever which carries said armature, a spring which antagonizes the pull of the magnet on its armature, ratchet mechanism, controlled by said lever, for actuating the arm of the rheostat, a rotating cam which actuates the ratchet mechanism through said lever, and means for steadying said lever in its position when the current is normal, the direction of the movements of the lllGOStitt-itlll'l being governed by the distance of the armature from the pole of the magnet.

2. In a device for regulating electric currents, the combination with a dynamo, a circuit fed by said dynamo, and a rheostat in said circuit, of means for regulating the current supplied to said circuit, said means comprising an electromagnet in the circuit, its armature, a lever which carries said armature, a spring which antagonizes the pull of the magnet on its armature, ratchet mechanism, controlled by said lever, for actuating the arm of the rheostat, a rotating cam which actuates the ratchet mechanism through said lever, and springs which steady said lever in its position when the current is normal, the movements of the rheostat-arm being governed by the distance of the armature from the pole of the magnet.

3. In a device for regulating electric currents, the combination with a dynamo, a circuit fed by said dynamo, and a rheostat in said circuit, of means for regulating the current supplied to said circuit, said means comprising an electromagnet in the circuit, its armature, a lever which carries said armature, a spring which antagonizes the pull of the magnet on its armature, springs which steady the said lever in its position when the strength of the current is normal, a rotative shaft which carries the arm of the rheostat, reverse ratchetwheels on said shaft, pawls carried by said lever and adapted to engage with the respective ratchet-wheels by the rocking of the lever, the pawls being out of engagement when the current is normal, and a rotating cam which rocks said lever when the latter is moved from its normal position by a variation in the strength of the current.

4. In a device for regulating electric curand 9 9 the rents, the combination with a dynamo, a circuit fed by said dynamo, a rheostat in said circuit, a rotatable shaft which carries the arm of said rheostat, and reverse ratchet-wheels secured on said shaft, of a lever 11, fulcrumed at w, pawls 12 and 12 pivotally mounted on one arm of said lever and adapted to be put into engagement with the respective ratchetwheels by the movement of the lever, the spring and plunger of said pawls, the rotating shaft 6, the cam 8 on said shaft, the rollers 15 and 15 on the arm of said lever opposite to the pawls and disposed at opposite sides of the cam, said rollers being both out of contact when both pawls, are out of engagement, springs which steady the lever in its operative position, an electromagnet E in the circuit, its armature 0/, carried by the said lever, and a spring 18, which antagonizes the pull of the magnet on its armature.

5. In a device for regulating electric currents, the combination with a dynamo, a circuit fed by said dynamo, and a rheostat in said circuit, of means for regulating the current supplied to said circuit, said means comprising an electromagnet in the circuit, its armature, a lever which carries said arn'iature, a spring which antagonizes the pull of the magnet on its armature, ratchet mechanisl'n, controlled by said lever, for actuating the arm of the rheostat, and a rotating cam disposed in an open fork in said lever and acting operatively on said lever only when the armature is in its extreme positions, the direction of the movements of the rheostat-arm being governcd by the distance of the armature from the pole of the magnet.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name, this 11th day of November, 1904s, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

PATRICK KENNEDY.

Witnesses:

AUG. 'lRnADwnLL, J12, A. NEUDLE. 

